First Listen privacy

Effective August 16, 2026 · Updated September 11, 2026

This page explains how Backroads to the Stars Music handles information submitted through the protected First Listen system.

Information collected

First Listen collects your email address and, when provided, your first name. The system also records signup time and source, campaign attribution, mailing-list consent and its timestamp, the song unlocked, access timestamps and count, unsubscribe status, and limited first-party playback events such as play, meaningful listen, restart, and completion thresholds. It does not request payment information, a home address, or a phone number.

How the information is used

Your email identifies the early-listen access granted to you. When you actively consent to marketing, it may also be used for Backroads release alerts and occasional First Listen invitations. Access entitlement and marketing consent are stored separately. Turning off marketing email does not automatically remove early-listen access already granted.

No sale of personal information

Backroads to the Stars Music never sells your email address or other personal information. Personal information submitted through First Listen is used only to operate and restore First Listen access and, when you have consented, to communicate Backroads to the Stars Music release updates and First Listen invitations. If a service provider is used for hosting or email delivery, information is shared only as needed to operate those services and is not sold by Backroads to the Stars Music.

Access cookies and security records

The site uses a secure, HttpOnly access cookie so an approved listener can return on the same device. Access and playback tokens are stored as cryptographic hashes or short-lived signed values. Limited technical context used for rate limiting and abuse prevention is hashed rather than stored as a full raw IP address. These measures reduce casual sharing and direct extraction, but no web player can prevent a listener from recording audio their device is permitted to play.

Protected audio

The web-streaming derivative is stored outside the public website directory. It is delivered only after the backend validates subscriber access and a short-lived playback authorization. The original master is not embedded in the public page and is not offered as a download.

Storage, owner access, and service providers

Subscriber and event records are stored in a private MariaDB database controlled through the Backroads hosting account. The owner can review and export subscriber records through an authenticated dashboard. If an email-delivery provider is connected later, only the information needed to deliver and manage those messages may be transferred to that provider.

Retention, unsubscribe, and deletion

Subscriber records are retained while the mailing list and access program are active, unless deletion is requested sooner. Use the unsubscribe page to turn off marketing email. For deletion or other privacy requests, email backroads.to.the.stars.music@gmail.com.

Embedded services and external links

The public site embeds Spotify players and links to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, YouTube Music, YouTube, Pandora, DistroKid, and other services. Those services may process device or usage data under their own policies when their players or sites are opened.

Website analytics

The site uses limited first-party analytics to understand site performance, audience engagement, campaign effectiveness, First Listen usage, and which music destinations visitors choose. These records can include page and section interactions, general engagement, campaign or referring-source attribution, device and browser category, First Listen activity, and outbound music-link clicks. Traffic analytics are designed not to store submitted email or name fields, raw IP addresses, or full referrer URLs as ordinary analytics data. Owner and test activity may be identified separately so it can be excluded from audience reporting. Embedded and linked music services may collect information under their own privacy policies when you use them.

Contact

Privacy questions can be sent to backroads.to.the.stars.music@gmail.com.